Those of the Birdcage Manor
by Infinite Skye
Summary: Time passes: people change, and some are left behind. In middle school, it was they who left Kuroko behind but in high school, it was him. He changed. He forgot. Everything.They no longer existed to Kuroko, just as Kuroko Tetsuya once didn't to them. But they thought it was only fair; it was their punishment...until Seirin High obtained a "phantom player". GOMxFem!Kuro, Akakuro
1. The Birdcage Manor

**So after I finished "the Camera that Makes You Cry", I had this urge to write heartwrenching situations...which is what this fic basically is.**

* * *

**Summary:**

**"Welcome to Birdcage Manor: the sinner's world within the cage. Tell me, why are you all here? Ah. Because you killed Kuroko Tetsuya? Only "she" remains. The person he once was. Well, at least she still loves basketball. But what happens when she plays again, only with a different team and different friends?" "What happens...to you?" GOMxFemKuro, Akakuro**

**Tags: GOMxFem!Kuroko **

**Final pairing of Akakuro **

** BUT Aokuro will be pretty prominent as Aokuro happens subconsciously for me XP**

**However, nevertheless, this is more plot-centric as i have plenty of things I want to play with in the plot**

**Note: Fem!Kuroko is named Kuroko Torimi (黒子鳥見) as it translates to "stage hand (shadow) sees the bird" **

**Now what does this have to do with birdcage manor? ;D**

* * *

The light pattering rain sinks into his skin as wet, thickly matted powder blue hair cling to wan flesh.

"He" stares at the sky from a wide stadium steps, empty after the crowd took their seats within.

From here, he can hear their roars, cheers for the matches taking place, the matches he is supposed to play.

He sucks in a breath, without exhaling as he closes his eyes...and listens.

He suddenly remembers that sometimes, he would dream of a world without basketball.

It was a world at peace, a world where he would repeat an ordinary life without fail as he blended into the shadows of society.

He would have normal friends.

He would be able to read all the books in the library.

He would be...happy.

Unlike now, where happiness seems to be the furthest from his reach.

He continues to allow the rain to ghost down his body, trailing along a wrinkled basketball jersey with the number 15 embroidered on before something begins to uncomfortably stick out of the side of his head.

He slowly reaches for it, pulls it out of his wet strands of blue.

It's a bobby pin; black and lack-luster, something quite cheap.

Nevertheless, it holds together a secret more important than perhaps life to him.

Seamlessly, the secret becomes undone as the matted yet short powder blue hair tumbles to the ground, revealing a neck-length, _feminine_ hairstyle, pushed up by the wind.

The bangs flutter, coming down hard on his—no her wan face, upon a pair of soulless blank azure eyes, disappearing beneath that wave of blue.

Yet, there is something off about the look in her eyes, something uncharacteristic of her.

There is surprise in them as the wig plopped down on the ground, as if, she had forgotten all about it.

She didn't usually forget things.

Not something so important, not her most important secret.

The reason she was allowed to play basketball. Her favorite sport.

She stares at the bobby pin, eyes hidden beneath those strands of blue.

Ah, right. She had forgotten something again.

That is no longer true.

The secret no longer matters.

She hates basketball now.

Everything added up to this day, where the truth, the distance she had ignored finally came crashing down, smashing everything to pieces.

It was the day of the national basketball tournament, the day _they_ had once looked forward to for years yet...

That was the them of the past.

_They _didn't care for it anymore.

For basketball. For anything.

And unfortunately, she was a part of that list too.

_They_ didn't need her anymore.

In fact, she was their burden.

So in turn, she was here, out in the rain, forced to quit basketball.

She squeezes her eyes shut, slightly cringing at the thoughts that strike her.

She is different, uncharacteristically emotional, gloomier than usual, and strangely, a lot more sleepy.

She finds this unusual...before realizing that like them, even she has changed.

Suddenly, she is transfigured.

She kneels down before the fully wet and sticky wig. She holds it up, her face reverting to its poker face form.

It then relaxes, almost to a peaceful expression before the bluenette allows her pupils to dilate, to dream.

She dreams.

The world falls to vertigo.

She forgets.

Everything resets to nothing.

* * *

_It took a few hours for somebody to find the body of a blue-haired girl lying slack on the ground._

_"...Is she dead?" One of the passerbys whispered to another as they stared at the girl._

_They promptly called the paramedics._

_It took less than 30 minutes for "Kuroko Tetsuya" to be shipped to the ER of the hospital._

_It took less than 10 seconds before 5 rainbow-colored basketball players reached her hospital room._

_It took only a single second for the doctor to tell them, "Did you say Tetsuya? That person doesn't exist."_

* * *

**"Hello everyone,"**

**"I see that some of you have a watch?"**

**"Hmm, I haven't seen those in a while."**

**"Please, discard them. You'll have no need for them here."**

**"Not here where time holds no value."**

**"These days of despair will simply repeat themselves without fail."**

**"As if one was a bird, forever trapped in a cage."**

**"What's that?"**

**"You say isn't that what this place is?"**

**"Correct."**

**"This is Birdcage Manor: the world within the cage."**

**"Naturally, you are its captives."**

**"So discard your watches and welcome."**

**"I do hope you enjoy your stay."**

* * *

**1st Phrase: The Birdcage Manor**

* * *

Kuroko Torimi had always been a bit invisible...okay, that might've been a exaggeration.

She was VERY invisible.

With the exception of her hair and eye color that should've been enough to attract attention, her silent demeanor, average stature, and naturally low presence always eluded the majority of the student body.

Through elementary to middle school, there was never a day when she wasn't overlooked by others.

Yet, although it was a lie for her to not be bothered by this, she lived her life just fine.

She had friends, although few, but they were people she could rely on.

However, that was what bothered her.

Once, she had a friend named Kandou-kun. Through being stuck in the same class for 7 years straight, the two naturally grew to be good friends. Yet, by the end of middle school, Kuroko never met with Kandou-kun again.

She didn't recall why.

It wasn't as if her middle school was bland and life was absolutely dull. In fact, it was the opposite, especially when her school happened to contain the most eccentric people known to man.

Firstly, there was a blond boy who worked as a model. That alone caused Kuroko's everyday life to be filled with the occasional screeching and stampeding of fangirls down the halls.

Then, there was a green-haired boy he sometimes passed in the hallway. The boy seemed like the stereotypical nerd: black-rimmed glasses and a straight-laced demeanor. However, he always had his fingers bandaged and without fail, held some kind of strange trinket in hand. Kuroko vividly remembered the Strawberry Shortcake doll he once had.

It was...interesting.

However, be it for better or for worse, there were more.

There was a dark-skinned teen with matching dark blue hair. They said he was Japanese but many were skeptical. Nevertheless, he was quite renown within the student body. He was the one with delinquent tendencies, constantly cutting class and disappearing off somewhere. They said he was in a gang, befitting of his looks. However, Kuroko heard he wasn't that way before. He was said to be much kinder and filled...with passion.

There was one person in the school that stood out from the rest. Literally.

Standing at what Kuroko swore to be past 2 metres, the purple-haired giant would roam down the halls with huge assortments of snacks in hand. It made people talk—negatively. Yet, the giant never seemed to mind. He simply ambled on his way, downing one snack after the other.

Finally, she recalled that there was a boy with scarlet hair and audaciously sharp eyes. He wasn't the president of the student council but he was much well-known than the council's members combined. Especially during club's day—where tales of him crushing every board games club possible roamed through the school. He was an enigma, feared yet respected by everyone around him. The members of the club had always been said to send challenges to him every year. He always accepted. Without fail.

They were the 5 extraterrestrials of Teiko middle school and surprisingly, they all knew each other. They were all apparently basketball players, part of a group called the Generation of Miracles; a group of geniuses.

It sounded nearly too surreal to be true.

Still, they were simply beings outside her world. Personally, Kuroko had never spoken to them after all.

However, although the day started in its usual manner, Kuroko wondered if she met an enigma of his own.

On the third day of high school, whilst Kuroko was sipping on a vanilla milkshake at her favorite fast food joint, she heard a startled choke from the male that had took the seat across from her.

He was a red-head with double-eyebrows.

Kuroko recognized him to be Kagami Taiga, the returnee in her class from America.

"Woah, where the heck did you come from?!" Kagami gaped, still gasping for air once he noticed there was actually a person there.

Kuroko momentarily eyed the mountain of burgers he had piled up on his tray before she retorted, "I was always here Kagami-kun. You're the one who took my seat."

"Huh? How do you know my na—oh wait. You're the invisible girl the teacher forgot about during roll call today!" Kagami exclaimed.

"Yes. I'm Kuroko Torimi." Kuroko introduced in a perfectly monosyllabic tone.

"Oh right. Then I'm Kagami Taiga." The red-head returned. "But...wow, you seriously don't have much presence do you?" He expressed, now speaking between mouthfuls of his burger mountain.

Kuroko gave him another one of her ever-blank stares. "Is that so?"

"Mhhn? Yup, and since you're Japanese and all, it's almost as if you're a ninja!" Kagami continued half-heartedly, distracted by his burgers.

"Ah. I am."

Kagami froze between mouthfuls. "What?"

Did he hear that right?

"I said I am one." Kuroko repeated in the same expressionless tone.

Kagami gaped. Damn, it was hard to tell if she was joking or not. Luckily he at least had the brains to question. "Um but... you're a girl...you can't be a ninja." He slowly began in retaliation.

Kuroko didn't miss a beat. "Female ninjas are called Kunoichi." She promptly stated, startling Kagami with her confidence.

"T-then you're seriously a n-ninja...?" Kagami gaped incredulously.

"Pfft."

He paused, hearing an unexpected noise.

It was slight but...that near-snicker was definitely there!

In her now spitefully calm face, Kuroko quipped, "of course not. You're a little dim aren't you Kagami-kun?".

Immediately a vein bulged. "Oi why you little!" Kagami growled, subconsciously rising to his feet.

Suddenly the basketball he held beside him tumbled to the floor, rolling beneath Kuroko's feet.

Kuroko blinked at the round orange object, cupping it into her hands and she felt its smooth yet rough texture.

She didn't know why but suddenly, she was reminded of those 5 schoolmates.

"Kagami-kun, you play basketball?" Kuroko asked.

"Ah? Yeah. Do you?"

"No but...is basketball fun?"

Immediately, Kagami lost the scowling look...okay, maybe not too much. "Yeah of course. There's actually basketball tryouts today, did you want to join?" He asked, finally being incisive enough to notice the bluenette's curiosity.

Kuroko blinked, slightly surprised before his expression turned contemplating. "...Eh? But I'm a girl."

"Hah? Who cares if you're a guy or girl? Basketball is for everyone right?" Kagami returned as if she had asked a ridiculous question.

Although, he himself thought of his American trainer Alexandra Garcia. She was as good as hell so there was no way Kuroko couldn't play due to gender differentations.

Yet, Kuroko only returned his retort with an actually logical conclusion.

"But Kagami-kun. Our school only has a boy's basketball team."

There was a pause.

"Oh...right."

[=]

Basketball turned out to be incredibly interesting for the girl. In the end, she went along with Kagami and, despite his lack of awareness for _keigo_ he still managed to somehow, kinda, convince the coach Aida Riko to let Kuroko give it a shot during their practice game.

They didn't expect much from her with her being a girl AND her lack of knowledge for the sport and honestly, she herself didn't either.

She had never played basketball other than in PE and even so, she found her recollection of those memories vague for some reason.

Yet, the moment she stepped on the court, it was like magic.

The ball danced within her palms, passing and gliding through as if for some reason, her body just _knew _what to do. She created perfect and accurate passes to her teammates and helped them get ahead of the seniors.

The coach's jaw practically dropped.

If it wasn't for Kuroko's mono-expression, she might have joined in on that.

Something just felt familiar and...it was the good kind of familiar.

With her shoes clacking beneath the cemented sidewalk, Kuroko opened the gates to her abode: a relatively small apartment titled: _The Birdcage Manor_.

She found it to be a strange name in contrast to the surrounding apartments with names such as, "The Point", "The Hexagon", and all these more modernized names.

Yet, this irregularity was precisely why she chose the apartment, apart from its cheap rent and student boarding system, in which there was a small cafeteria for residents that found no time to cook.

She found the flyer at a handy time though, just when her parents said they had to move to America and live abroad for work.

She should've moved with them but not only did that cause problems to arise with her having to repeat a year in America due to different school systems, but also, there was just a strange attachment she felt with the city even though...she no longer had the friends she used to.

It was strange but...she didn't want to leave.

Perhaps, that was just a premonition for the things to come.

As her azure eyes fell on the round basketball before her, she wondered that perhaps, this was the reason for her to stay: to meet Kagami, to meet basketball.

Although she knew she had no possibility of continuing to play with her school team, as in the end, it was a _boy's _basketball team and Seirin had not established a girl's team, she felt she had no intention to quit the sport itself. Perhaps she should go and join a club at the community centre.

Something about it just clicked with her.

She really had not found a sport to be as fun as this before.

Subconsciously, she twirled the basketball around her finger, deftly spinning it before it lost balance and tumbled to the ground.

Kuroko moved to pick it up...before she saw someone on the other side of the gate.

Her eyes darted up, azure meeting a deep navy blue, widened in shock.

The eyes were framed by a dark sunkissed skin, slightly unusual for the Japanese. Yet, that was all it took for her to identify him.

He was wearing a Touou uniform. He was her neighbor: Aomine...or so it said on the nameplate.

"Um, Aomine-kun was it?" Kuroko greeted, ending the silence.

Aomine didn't seem to snap back from his daze. With the same shocked eyes, he merely whispered, "y-you're playing basketball?"

Kuroko blinked. That was an unexpected question.

"Yes. Do you like basketball as well?" She asked, bending to pick it up.

She never received a reply.

When she looked back up, Aomine was gone.

Huh, that...was strange.

The rusty gate creaked with the wind.

Kuroko quizzically watched the figure of a tanned male, moving farther and farther away.

She couldn't even begin to imagine what the sight of her playing basketball meant to him.

She couldn't even begin to imagine how ironic and cruel her words were.

She no longer knew.

Aomine ran, biting down his lip, tasting the iron of blood.

* * *

OMG HOW DEEP IS AOKURO BURIED WITHIN MY SUBCONSCIOUS?!

STILL.

I hope you guys enjoyed this fem!Kuroko story!

Ps. Reviews are greatly adored and appreciated!


	2. Buried in Oblivion

**Edited. As my planning skills are absolutely terrible, while I was reviewing my plans for the next chapter, I realized I made a huge plot hole. Therefore, sorry for the re-post but I'm using this chance to patch things up!**

**Edit: A whole section after the second scene. **

**Confusion about pairings: **

**Main pairings: GomxKuroko, innuendos of Kagakuro**

**Pairings more prominent than others: Aokuro and Akakuro...potentially Kikuro. **

**Final pairing however: Akakuro **

**Hope that makes more sense now!**

* * *

**2nd Phrase: Buried in Oblivion**

If there was some kind of innate talent Aomine Daiki carried since birth, it would've been his instincts and matching speed. He was an aberration on court, able to see through and react to various feints and tactics through all based on feel, not logic, while his instinct raised his speed, reaction, and dexterity, until none could best him on court.

However instinct is a double-edged sword. It is not always accurate nor is it always around. It comes and goes, something as unfathomable to his ex-captain as Aomine was. They were polar opposites, where one relied on the absolute truth of logic while the other on emotions and the intangible. Now however, even Aomine was beginning to question his instincts as he stared at his feet pounding rapidly on the pavement, moving him far far away from his own home.

Why was he running?

It wasn't as if it was a problem, seeing his neighbor once in a while was perfectly natural if they lived on the same floor.

Instinct forced him to ground his lips together, blood bursting through the torn organ.

Why was he running?

It was natural to see a basketball somewhere, heck, he managed to enrol in an elite school due to it.

Instinct forced him to run, run, and run.

Why was he running? Even though... this was finally the first time he spoke to "her" again?

Instinct stopped him in his tracks.

Mind dazed, he stared at what laid before him, an abandoned basketball court by the river, ruined with a mural of graffiti on its cement floor.

Ah right. It was because of basketball.

Expression hidden beneath the shadows, Aomine picked up a new broken basketball, bounced its deflated self a few times before breaking for a dunk.

Bam!

The ball slammed into the hoop with alacrity before dropping on the floor.

Immediately, the broken ball deformed, deflating to an orange lump.

Aomine didn't care.

It was simply basketball again.

It was always basketball. Over and over again.

With "her" holding a ball for the first time since "that day", and "that day" itself, over and over again, without fail, it was always because of basketball.

[=]

The memory was searing.

Rushing to a sickening white ward of a hospital, Aomine ran down the halls, following a frantic Momoi along with the rest of his teammates as she guided them to _his_ room.

"_Guys! Stop! You need to leave right now! I'm at the hospital! Tetsu-kun...Tetsu-kun is-!"_

The call had come suddenly, right when they finished their last match and were in the change rooms to leave yet, before he even knew it, all of them had dashed out towards the crowd of reporters, eagerly waiting to interview them.

However, before one of them could even pose a question, a question was posed to them.

"Oi! Where is the nearest hospital?!"

That was how Aomine found himself in front of a tearing Momoi Satsuki as she stood, back stooped, lowered, and quivering, without a shred of that confidence she always implored.

"Momoicchi! What's wrong?! What happened to Kurokocchi?!" Kise demanded frantically.

Momoi bit her lip, as if forcing herself to control her sobs. "T-tetsu-kun...Tetsu-kun...is!"

Aomine scowled, he hated this tension. "And? Tell us already Satsuki!" He barked, voice harsher than intended.

Momoi looked up, tears trickling down her cheeks. "Dai-chan..." She whispered, voice choked and broken, startling her childhood friend.

She never sounded like that, so hopeless and devastated, as if everything had shattered to pieces.

"W-what?" Aomine began uncertainly, stepping forward before her quivering lips released,

"Tetsu-kun's gone, Dai-chan, he's gone..."

Aomine watched as confusion furrowed the eyes of the analytical duo. Akashi stepped forward, as if attempting to interrogate the girl before a voice rang behind them.

"...I see you must be the visitors?" A doctor confirmed as they swiveled around.

"Yes. We're here to see Kuroko Tetsuya." Midorima answered.

The doctor frowned upon his request. "Again? Well, I'm sorry to inform you of this but, that person doesn't exist. We've asked the patient inside but she does not recognize that name."

"Ah, right...Kuro-chin is a girl." Murasakibara suddenly recalled as they all flinched.

Oh right. He was a _she_. Out of habit, they called her by her "alias". But...that didn't make sense...how did she not recognize that name?

They slowly stared back at Momoi, who at this point, gave them all an incredibly pained expression, sending them an untold signal of despair.

Akashi was the first to understand.

"...Then, can you please elaborate on _her_ condition?"

"We have no reason to inform unrelated parties of a patient's details-"

"Please."

The iridescent aggregation froze.

What did they just hear? Did Akashi say _please?_

They stared at the red-head, eyes level and unwavering yet tinted with a foreign hint of urgency.

The doctor blinked...before he gave in. "W-well, it does seem that you know the patient..." he began, pushing up his glasses.

"As for her condition, it wasn't as severe as we thought. Apparently she was suffering from fatigue and injuries caused by over-reaching herself with some kind of sport. We surmise that she fainted from that and fell down the stairs, leading to a head injury but luckily, it is not too severe. There is a possibility of malnutrition from psychological stress as well but overall, she is fine. Nothing life-threatening." He explained as the group gave a sigh of relief.

Momoi didn't move. Her eyes were simply glassed over, the opposite of relief.

Akashi narrowed his eyes. "...And I am aware that head injuries and psychological trauma may lead to memory loss?"

"..."

Somewhere along the way, it became law for Akashi to be right.

As the gang of rainbow-haired basketball players gathered in the small room as a blank-faced girl with powder blue hair stared vapidly back, the words of devastation slipping out her lips.

"Um, who are you?"

"T-tetsu...you can't be serious..." Aomine gaped, eyes wide with shock.

The girl merely tilted her head in confusion. "Eh? Tetsu? My name is Kuroko Torimi"

"Kurokocchi! This is a lie right?!" Kise suddenly cried, startling her.

"Remember? We're on the same basketball team! I'm 'Kise-kun'! We were just at our national tournament together!"

"Eh? Kise-kun? Basketball...team? National...tournament?" Kuroko frowned, rolling the foreign words on her tongue...before her eyes flew wide in realization.

"Basketball..." She uttered as her head fell low, obscuring her face with her bangs.

" Did you remember Kuro-chin?" Murasakibara asked with languid anticipation.

"Eh? Kurokocchi?! You remembered! Yes! Remember basketball? We're on the same team, the strongest in the nation and, and-"

"No. I don't."

Kise froze. The voice he heard was hard...and steeled.

"Please leave." Kuroko suddenly requested.

"Eh?"

"Please. _Leave._" She repeated again, this time with conviction as she raised her head, eyes still as blank as before but now, with a threatening glint.

"Nurse, the patient has requested it, please usher them out."

"Eh?!" Kise gaped in confusion.

"Oi, get away from me, we're staying with Tetsu!"

Yet the nurses did not waver. Several doctors even helped them as they practically dragged the teens out.

"Kurokocchi! Why are you kicking us out?! I thought you remembered us and basketball!" Kise cried in a last attempt to change the tide.

Yet, it was a futile one.

The only thing they saw before the door closed on them was Kuroko, eyes turned, burning a hole into their souls as she stated, "No. I do not know you. Although it may be true I have amnesia as you've suggested, it is impossible for me to play basketball."

"Eh?"

"I... hate basketball. I remember saying that repeatedly before I ended up here. Therefore, I do not know any of you."

There was no lie hidden between those eyes.

Just as they always were, her words were frank and genuine.

Just as they always did, they hurt. _A lot._

The door closed with a dull slam.

"...Hey. Kurokocchi was lying when she said she hated basketball right?"

Momoi fell to her knees.

She knew.

She had _always_ known.

It was all their fault.

She promptly brought forth a letter, a resignation letter signed by Kuroko Tetsuya.

They widened their eyes.

She released a pained and shaking smile. "...Did you know, Tetsu-kun wanted to quit basketball for a while now?"

Silence.

"...DID YOU?!"

The accusing cry shot through the air.

No one, could answer her words...or at least, that was how it was made to seem.

Akashi Seijuro narrowed his eyes.

[=]

The door flung open with a bang.

"A-aomine-kun?!" A pink-haired girl gaped as Aomine stalked inside the locker room of the school, flinging his bags down before rummaging through his locker, stuffing a treasure trove of magazines into his bag.

The girl twisted a brow in disgust, yet that quickly distinguished once she caught the look on his face.

He looked pained. Angry.

There was a smear of blood on his lips.

"Aomine-k-kun...?"

She was swallowed by a terrifying midnight blue.

"What?" Aomine darkly growled, eyeing her with a foreign look in his eyes.

She froze, startled by the sight.

He was right there, barely a meter away from her yet, the distance between the two childhood friends felt greater than heaven and earth.

Who was this? That was the taboo she had refused to ever ask herself yet, this time the words nearly formed on her lips.

Nearly.

His hard and steeled gaze suddenly softened, as if catching himself within her. He turned, refusing to meet her gaze as he got up, striding past her with a curt, "Sorry."

He was gone.

She plummeted down.

She bit her lip, forcing herself to keep the tears from streaming down her eyes. No. She had already lost "that" person, she wasn't going to lose the other most important person in her life too.

Not Aomine, the one that stuck by her side since they were children.

She had be strong. She had to be.

Like a spell, eventually the girl calmed.

She breathed.

It might've been because of the Birdcage Manor.

To be precise, it was albeit small, an apartment complex. However due to its influx of student-age residents, it became more of a boarding house, with a room renovated to become a cafeteria and the peculiar landlady serving as the cook.

Still, Despite Touou being quite a ways away from their home, Aomine had no need to go and live somewhere like that alone, without consulting even her as Touou provided a boarding house for its outer-prefecture students. He in fact utilized his hey-you're-the-ones-that-need-me-so-do-what-I-say strategy to take the money used to pay for his room at the school and using it to pay rent at the Birdcage.

She admitted it, the first thing she thought when she heard about it was the shock that wow, that was actually REALLY smart. She believed his parents then allowed it for the same reason. Aomine Daiki could actually be smart?!

But then Momoi found out that Midorima unintentionally sent that notion into his brain once upon a time and everything reset back to endless nagging on Momoi's part

Nevertheless, he managed to get a room in Birdcage Manor and then began all the things he didn't tell her.

She knew everything about him. That was the way things were.

Had been. And in his case, she didn't even need to use her 'ability' as everything just naturally came out through the course of time.

These days, it was different. Since the "incident" back in Teiko, they had all Changed but Aomine... He, being the closest to "that" person couldn't help but be horribly affected although really, it wasn't as much as one had expected.

Even before that incident, he had already began to change.

Yet, only after he moved did his expression sometimes turn so pained and sour.

She frowned. There was nothing of particular interest whenever she went over.

What was there?

[=]

Kuroko Torimi was there, as she moved towards her simple bedroom or powder blue and white, devoid of anything fancy except for the bird-filled sticker branches that snaked across her closet in dull white.

By the bed, was a cardboard box, the last of what was sent to her from her old house. Apparently she had left this in her closet and the new owners were kind enough to inform her of such.

She unceremoniously propped it open, wondering what could be inside before she came across an album...filled with family photos.

She stared at herself and her kind parents, she, always expressionless except for a hint of a smile, and they, people with the same powder blue hair as her but much brighter in contrast.

There were many pictures, of her when she was a toddler, all the way until her middle school entrance ceremony.

Yet, as she was about to flip to the next page, her cell suddenly rang.

She immediately reached for it.

"Hello? Is this Kuroko-chan?" A cheerful voice greeted on the other end.

"Ah. Aida-san?" Kuroko returned.

"Good it is you! Because Kuroko-chan, I want to speak to you about your abilities!"

"Eh?"

Aida Riko explained her findings, noting things such as the ability stemming from Kuroko's naturally low presence in order for her to misdirect the ball. She explained everything in great detail, as if she had personally done extensive research upon it, something Kuroko noticed immediately by her tone.

...Why was she so passionate about it? Kuroko wasn't part of her basketball team. Although her abilities might be unique, they weren't going to be of use-

Kuroko's expression fell flat.

"...Um, Aida-san, are you planning on making me join the team?" Kuroko deadpanned.

Sheepish laughter followed.

"Ehh? Kuroko-chan's too sharp~ but, yup! I do!" Aida exclaimed without the least sense of shame.

"...but it's a boy's basketball team. I don't believe that's allowed."

Suddenly, she was met with ominous snickers on the other end. "True...Kuroko-chan, very true. BUT. Considering how this school is very lax with its club system and is in generally unaware of the amount of students participating in each club, it's easy for us to sneak you in...hehe...as a _boy."_

Kuroko blinked. "...You want me to cross-dress?"

The voice grew shrill and sheepish once more. "Ah! Kuroko-chan, you're too blunt~" She exclaimed in singsong. "But yes. That's what I want. And honestly, if you leave it to me, I'll do my best to make sure no one finds out. Besides, I already have the wig ready here and if we just..."

Suddenly, as Kuroko listened to her long-winded plan, she zoned out.

The voice pressed against her eyes suddenly lowered, deeper and deeper until it resembled a smooth velvety, alluring yet daunting.

_"Leave the rest to me. All you have to do is make a choice." _The voice stated as Kuroko felt a sharp pain gnash through her head.

She squeezed her eyes shut in response, allowing her vision to sink into darkness before immediately, a memory surfaced.

Before her was a hand, cloaked in a familiar school uniform, extended before her.

"You have an amazing ability Kuroko-chan! I've never seen someone like you before!" Aida exclaimed.

Kuroko frowned, the pain in her head growing stronger as she felt an indiscernible discomfort bubble in her throat.

_"You are interesting. I've never seen someone like you before." _The voice echoed.

She shuddered. Something about this felt familiar, too familiar but, she couldn't tell if it was the good kind.

"That's why, you should join!"

"_That's why...I'm asking you to join."_

The voice, the person who held out the hand was completely obscured from her vision. She was unable to look up at the person yet, despite this, there was a definite sense of hope and trust within her for that person. Yet, at the same time, there was fear, churning and churning around her stomach, making her feel unusually sick to her knees.

She frowned, barely managing to keep calm despite the pain.

What was this?

"You" Aida began.

_"You" _The voice began.

The unease escalated, clamping against her throat, rushing up as if to explode.

_"**Like basketball don't**_** you?"**

*SLAP!*

Suddenly, a loud sound echoed across the receiver.

"K-kuroko-chan?!" Aida Riko cried on the other end.

There was a momentary pause before a soft and expressionless voice replied, "Aida-san, no coach. I'll accept."

"E-eh? Accept what-oh. Wait, but more importantly, are you okay?"

The bluenette held a hand against her porcelain cheek, burning red against her hand. "Yes, I'm fine." Kuroko returned quite dully. "But, since I've accepted, can you go over what I have to do in detail?" She continued.

"Eh? O-oh well um..." Aida began, thus giving her all the basic instructions of what to do in order to conceal her identity. Kuroko would've been impressed by the extensive knowledge and ingenious plans Aida prepared, if it wasn't as if somehow, many of the points already felt second nature to her.

She nodded, pressing the phone against her ear as she strode towards the small cooler she had to retrieve an ice pack, before pressing it against her face.

It seemed as if she had slapped herself harder than intended but...it was necessary.

It was the only way she could make the memory stop.

However, it wasn't as if she wanted to forget but rather, she wanted to remember, remember the reason for this unease.

Even though she tried to think, and held on for as long as she could to dig up the owner of the hand, nothing would surface. Instead, the foreign emotions would only increase, as if her mind was doing everything to block it out.

It was as if, her memory was buried in oblivion.

Obviously, she had no intention to keep it that way and luckily, it seemed that she had already obtained the keyword_: basketball._

Why was she good at passing? Why did it feel nostalgic that someone was telling her these things?

Being an avid lover of mystery, she couldn't help but feel greatly intrigued but more than that, she simply wanted to know...know whether this was the reason behind the emptiness she felt in her life.

She was a plain girl, invisible at that yet, that shouldn't have been enough for her to lose her small circle of friends completely, as well as have a hazy idea of what went on during her middle school days.

Besides, just as basketball brought her to feel this foreign concept of passion, it also brought her an unlikely friend like Kagami. On court, they immediately clicked for some unknown reason, something she had never been able to do with anyone before.

Therefore, perhaps, it would also lead her to the truth she had been longing for.

After Aida had finished and the two exchanged their goodbyes, Kuroko stood up, garnering the things from the box back in before picking it up and storing it in her closet.

There were many questions on her mind, such as the owner of the voice.

Yet, little did she know, half the answer was already there.

She had missed something, a single photo slightly peeking out from underneath her bed.

It had fallen when she took the album away.

In said photo, was Kuroko Torimi, clad in a blue dress with a light jacket across her shoulders. Beside her, was someone taller than her, the photo revealing a hint of allegedly red hair.

The rest of his face however, was completely scribbled out in black marker, in wild, frenzied arrays.

It didn't seem like a happy memory.

* * *

**Well, at this point it was already kinda obvious what happened to Kuroko if I didn't kill him/her so I decided to spill the beans...but not without the black markers of doom. Yes, this spells definite trouble.  
**

**But..does this count as the so promised Akakuro? /shot/ No? LOLOL  
**

**But honestly. I am so sorry about how dark this sounded. I promise, I will make a brighter chapter with comedy. I _promise. _Which is what this lame omake is meant for.**

* * *

**OMAKE:**

"Momoicchi! What's wrong?! What happened to Kurokocchi?!" Kise demanded frantically.

Momoi bit her lip, as if forcing herself to control her sobs. "T-tetsu-kun...Tetsu-kun...is!"

Her lip quivered.

They gulped.

"Tetsu-kun...is A GIRL!"

"...EH?!"

"Um, Momoi-san, the patient is alright, in fact she requested you to come in a while back now. Would you like to go in already?." The nurse asked.

The Generation of Miracles stared back at her in shock.

"Wait so that's what you called us for?" Aomine gaped.

She immediately glared at him. "HAH?! THIS IS HUGE! Tetsu-kun...was a girl! You guys go in, please go in! I can't talk to her, I can't look at her, I can't even look at myself! I fell in love...with a girl!" She wailed uncontrollably. "Oh gosh, I swear, Tetsu-kun was probably so embarrassed oh gosh I'm so embarrassed now that I'm remembering everything ahhh!"

In wails and diving headfirst into walls, Momoi's first love was utterly crushed.


	3. Forsaken Little Bird

**3rd Phrase: Forsaken Little Bird**

Morning came slightly too ceremoniously.

"Ah. Good morning Kagami-kun." Kuroko Torimi greeted as the red-head walked down the hallways of the school, catching the girl by the bulletin board, reading an article.

"Ah, morning." Kagami awkwardly returned, slightly more use to her lack of presence. "What are you looking at?" He asked, turning to the board.

"Oh. Just a bit of reading. Our sempais are quite amazing, to get all the way to the Inter-High in their first year." Kuroko commented as Kagami skimmed the article.

"Oh? Maybe our basketball club is pretty amazing after all but...with only one article, doesn't it mean they lost somewhere during that tournament?" Kagami mused, turning to the blank-faced youth.

She blinked back at him with hints of surprise. "Kagami-kun...you're unexpectedly perceptive."

Kagami stared back, this time brow twitching in irritation. "Oi, I've noticed this before but you...you're picking a fight with me aren't you?" He demanded.

"No, not particularly," Kuroko returned innocently.

For once, Kagami wasn't convinced. Those double-eyebrows were ready to pounce...that or explode at the impassivity of the girl.

"But although that's true, hopefully we'll get farther this year. Coach seems to be pinning her hopes on us," the girl said.

Kagami smirked. "Well, obviously she was right to do so! I don't know about you but...wait." Kagami froze, realization dawning on those brows. "I REALLY DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU!"

"Oi, what do you mean by 'us'?! I thought you weren't allowed on because you were a girl!" He exclaimed, only to receive a disapproving frown.

"Kagami-kun, I was unaware that you were discriminatory against girls," she blankly stated and again he felt the urge to kill.

"YOU-"

"Shh, we're by the library," Kuroko immediately hushed, slipping a finger against her lips and pointing to the sign tacked above.

Kagami twitched. "Ngh..." She was definitely doing this on purpose!

Yet, it perhaps there was some truth hidden behind his notion because ever so slightly, she smiled, curt and barely visible but...it was there.

It was surprisingly...beautiful...in the unexpected kind of way for a girl usually so plain.

Kagami widened his eyes.

"But it is as you say. Normally I shouldn't be but...the coach made some arrangements to allow this." She explained. "I hope I'll be able to live up to her expectations."

"Hah? Well, it should be fine shouldn't it? You already have that amazing ability to disappear and stuff but more than that, you like basketball right? As long as you like it and press forward, you'll be fine right?" Kagami explained, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

She blinked. Once upon a time, she felt as if she heard such words before. A foreign yet familiar warmth poured into her.

Somehow, she felt that if it was with Kagami and Seirin, basketball would be fun. Very fun.

"But, we're obviously going to get far either way, we have to! Only then will I get to meet strong ones like the Generation of Miracles!" Kagami smirked, eyes suddenly burning up with passion.

The blunette however, flinched at the name. She didn't know why.

Her body moved on its own.

"The Generation of Miracles?" She released uncertainly.

Kagami didn't seem to notice. "Yeah! Oh but right, you left early, you didn't hear about that part...but wait, you should know them right?" He continued.

"Eh?" She blinked. Did she?

"You should. You went to the same school. Teiko basketball's Generation of Miracles, the consecutive national champions." He stated, reciting the information the seniors told him last practice.

She frowned. Ah. Oh right, _them,_the aberrations she sometimes passed by.

"Yes, they were quite popular at my middle school but, since I didn't play basketball back then, I'm not too familiar with them. However... it was clear they were geniuses." Kuroko recalled, thinking back to those rainbow-colored youths of her past.

"Hah? You could tell they were geniuses without seeing them play?"

"I've heard rumors. They were quite popular, particularly Kise Ryouta amongst the girls."

Kagami raised a brow. "Kise Ryouta? What kind of guy is he?"

Kuroko pressed her hand against her lip, contemplating. "Hmm...perfection...perhaps?"

Kagami blinked. "What?"

"Ah, Kise-kun is popular amongst the girls because he's a model with a 'refreshing' personality" Kuroko responded, reciting the information girls in class once squealed about. "Athletics-wise, he is adept as well because from what I've heard, he only started basketball in his second-year."

Kagami choked. "Hah?! Doesn't that mean he's only been playing for 3 years?! And he's one of the Generation of Miracles?!"

Kuroko nodded.

"Oi...so the sempais weren't exaggerating." Kagami smirked. "If he's really as good as you say he is, I definitely want to play him."

"Kagami-kun is rather fired up about this." The bluenette mused. She had never met someone with such undying passion and determination. She just said he was a genius. Normally, people wouldn't be so willing to charge in.

They had to be an idiot or...she took another glance at him.

No he probably was an idiot.

"Of course! Basketball is fun because there are people stronger than you! You can get better and better this way!" Kagami exclaimed.

Kuroko blinked. He was an idiot, but somehow, those words resonated within her. His passion seeped into her.

She looked up at the male, sky-lined irises, unblinkingly expressing, "then Kagami-kun wants to aim for number 1 in Japan?"

"Hah? Of course!" He cried, eyes sparkling with ambition.

The girl parted her lips. Kagami Taiga was...unexpectedly amazing.

His eyes were determined—sparkling.

She sighed, content.

"But...although I will be part of the club, the same cannot be said for you." She stated, reverting back to her mechanical expression.

Kagami frowned. "Hah? Why?"

"Well... you need to get a proper member application form for consideration."

"What? I never head about that!"

Kuroko nodded in affirmation. "Yes. Please retrieve one from the coach."

"W-what?!"

*DING!

The morning bell suddenly rang.

The two silently listened to its chimes.

It stopped.

"Ah, Kagami-kun. I suggest you hurry, the coach stated that she would stop handing them out after morning classes begin." Kuroko implored, as a now wide-eyed and frantic Kagami gaped.

"WHAT?! S-seriously?! Then thanks, Kuroko! I'll get it right now!" Kagami cried before running down the hall.

Kuroko merely stared at his passing silhouette in intrigue. It was the first time she saw someone fall for this trick.

In the first place, it was impossible for the coach to only be handing out the forms in the morning. After all, the second-years were at an off-campus assembly, something repeatedly broadcast since the beginning of the term.

Well, perhaps that was what made Kagami Taiga special. His passion and straight-forwardness was amazing, enough to pull her out of her bland and nebulous life.

It made even her want to play, right now. It was near infectious.

Ah. But, she wouldn't want to catch Kagami germs.

Succinctly, her smile resurfaced.

Things were going to change this year. The gaps in her memory, her friends, and her goals, everything was going to change.

She knew it.

A few minutes before the final bell, a red bear scoured the halls, veins bulged in irritation, releasing an aura of pure malice that terrified the students, causing them to immediately flee.

Said bear didn't seem to notice their distress however. The only thing he was focused on was one word: "Kuuurookoooo..." he growled, seriously ready to beat the girl up. "OI YOU NEVER EVEN TOLD ME WHERE THE SECOND YEAR CLASSROOMS WERE!"

As usual, Kagami Taiga missed the point...completely.

[=]

The following day at 8:40, under the shimmering morning sun on the school rooftop, Kagami Taiga declared to become the best in Japan.

Kuroko Torimi watched as this unfold, making a decision.

She was going to help him become the best.

After she did some thorough analysis of her abilities to disappear along with her clumsiness in other areas, she felt that she was a shadow, a player made just to support others.

Currently, no one could keep up with her passes and sync with her as well as Kagami did, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

She decided.

She would become the shadow to his light.

Unfortunately however, she never got to make that declaration. The teachers caught them on the rooftop and thoroughly scolded them.

Now, it was afternoon and as she strolled up the second floor to her room, she felt somewhat unfulfilled.

Languidly, her gaze followed another resident carrying something that resembled a lawnmower. It didn't have a cord or sharpened blades however.

She stared, curious.

"Agh...what am I supposed to do with this?" She heard the university student ask.

She blinked. "Um, may I ask what this is?" She suddenly questioned, startling the student that clearly didn't notice her.

"W-whoa! Where did you come from?!" He cried before realizing how rude that sounded, and profusely apologized. "U-um, w-well this is a line painter...it paints white in a line," he explained, retaining his composure. "If you want, would you like to have it? I don't need this anymore."

She stared at it in intrigue...before she accepted.

"_Treasure every encounter."_

She was glad she stayed true to her motto.

This was exactly what she needed.

[=]

The sky faded to black, hints of stars twinkling above the light-polluted city.

Past the sound of oncoming cars, Aomine Daiki prowled down the streets, a Popsicle dangling in his mouth.

It wasn't even summer but, nevetheless, he wanted to eat it. The flavor was too nostalgic for him to forget and although it was sweet, it felt bitter. Extremely bitter.

Yet, the same powder blue of the Popsicle reflected down a few meters in front of him.

This time, the color shimmered on the silk wisps of neck-length hair, bouncing up and down a small frame in a blue school uniform.

He raised a brow. "Tetsu?"

He watched as she carried a strange contraption, heading off somewhere in the night.

Immediately he followed, slightly worried.

It wasn't long before he reached Seirin High School and watched as the girl continued onto the track field and began _painting _with the...lawnmower?

Aomine frowned, dark skin helping him to blend withe the shadows as he curiously watch the girl go up and down, angled and circled, and other strange arrays of movements.

She was painting...a picture?

Curiously, he scaled the nearby steps, carefully concealing himself as he moved to a higher altitude, eyes widened in shock once he reached the top.

"I WILL MAKE YOU NUMBER ONE IN JAPAN"

Those were the words she had carefully drawn.

Aomine's fists shook.

Hah, ahaha...He seriously had no idea why he was getting himself caught up in these situations.

First, it was moving into the damned apartment, second, it was seeing her playing basketball again, but this, what was this?

He wasn't _that_ stupid to not understand what was happening.

These words were just like her, to be surprisingly audacious enough to express herself in bold ways. She was always like that, blunt, to the point where it hurt.

This, these words...were obviously meant for her new team, her new _light_, even if she had no recollection of playing basketball.

He didn't know anything about her anymore, about how she came to play again, about why her eyes shone when she spun that ball, and how she would play from here on.

Would she still be a "phantom" player? Or...did even her playing style change?

He no longer knew.

That was what hurt him the most.

She had new teammates now, a new goal and passion.

With this, was she even "Kuroko Tetsuya" anymore?

Did..."Tetsu" even exist at all?

The girl was Kuroko Torimi; a complete stranger to him.

He gritted his teeth, slamming his fist into a lamppost.

He watched as she wiped a drop of sweat off her brow, content with her creation.

He only felt bitter...before his eyes widened and...he laughed.

Oh. So this was what it felt like, to be left behind.

"_Aomine-kun. You don't need me anymore. None of you do."_

Aomine smirked."...Tetsu, you don't need me now either...right?"

So he decided to become a complete stranger—just like Akashi made all of them promise to do.

Akashi was always right after all. Aomine didn't even know why he bothered to try.

[=]

No matter what happens, time simply continues to move on. It wasn't long before the days eventually accumulated enough to turn to a week and finally, the cage began to stir.

"...Seirin High...huh?" A voice muttered to himself as a golden haired boy stood by the mahogany gates, staring at the main building with glazed eyes.

It was Kise Ryouta, the model and athlete. "Hmm...to think we have a practice match with this school of all...is this fate, Kurokocchi?" He continued, bright eyes now tinged with sadness as the familiar name rolled off his tongue.

Under ordinary circumstances, there was no way he would come to examine an opposing team, especially when it happened to be a no-name school like Seirin but...when he heard his coach announce that name, he couldn't help himself.

Before he knew it, he was here, where _she_ now attended.

He made sure to ask his fans to check before he graduated from Teiko.

Of course, under Akashi's absolute decree, he, no, none of the Generation of Miracles were allowed to meet with her but...he...was just examining the team, he...was allowed to be here...right?

Yet, despite his words, Kise found himself staring favorably at the school building instead of the school gym, wondering if he should pass through the library, where she always spent her free time in hopes of...just seeing her again.

Well...perhaps there were valuable basketball-related data in the library?

He took a step towards the building, nearly entering...before he promptly stopped himself.

He parted his lips, about to complain to himself before he realized...he honestly couldn't press on.

What if, just like last year, he gets rejected? Faced with that absolute look of incomprehension, as if, he never existed to her?

He headed for the gym instead, soon noticing the hoards of fangirls gathering around him.

He smiled that model smile, obscuring his emotions, playing along just so he could keep his mind off everything before finally, through signing autographs and giving sweet, heart-melting replies, he reached the school gym.

He was blown away.

"Kuroko!" A rambunctious voice cried as the ball whizzed down the court, ghosting against the opposing players before it landed in the hand of a red-head, going in for an amazing dunk.

Kise blinked. _Ku-kuroko?_

He must've been hearing things, finally going delusional...before he noticed how familiar those passes looked, how professionally they were done...until his eyes finally landed on the one responsible: a male with spiky powder blue hair.

...Kuroko Tetsuya.

Kise widened his eyes. "K-kurokocchi!" He exclaimed, voice louder than he had expected. Much louder.

Everyone stopped playing.

The blunette turned to him, "...Kise-kun?"

He felt his heart stop.

* * *

**Well this is turning more aokuro than I intended...sorry!**

**But it's no fun if Akashi comes into the story so quickly! ;D**

**Oh and I have one question for you all, do you think I should add in Ogiwara Shigehiro to this fic as well? In this case, he would be the only person she actually remembers (hint hint /shot/)**


	4. The 2nd Resident of Dreams

**Dedicated to S.S. Records (yes I remember you anon-chama) whom I didn't get a chance to reply to for Scarlet and felt too guilty to reply after so many weeks so instead, I shall update this like you asked!**

* * *

**Phrase 4: The 2nd Resident of Dreams**

He had nearly a year to stop dreaming.

And, surprisingly, it was much easier than expected.

Originally, to Kise Ryouta, before basketball ever literally whacked his head and wormed its way into his life, Kuroko Tetsuya never existed to him.

From first year to third, the the two were in different classes, hung around different people, and lived in different worlds. If it hadn't been for basketball, they would've never met at all and only in basketball, were they allowed to meet.

Of course, by no means did Kise Ryouta intend for this to sound like some kind of of forbidden love in a secret garden but rather...otherwise, Kuroko Tetsuya wouldn't exist.

Therefore, the day when Kuroko forgot everything and promptly quit without even "quitting", he vanished.

Just like that.

He didn't have to wake up from the dream.

The dream just...vanished.

For nearly a year he lived with it, dealt with its absence and finally thought that it everything would be fine.

Just like Akashi instructed, they would never reach out to "her" again. Never.

Yet, was _that_ the one that was a dream?

After all...Kuroko Tetsuya was _here._

Kuroko Tetsuya tilted his head. "Kise-kun?" He questioned as the blond eyed him all over, taking in the familiar spiky powder blue hair, those bottomless blue eyes, and familiar stature.

Yet, Kise didn't move an inch from where he stood. He couldn't.

No no. This was too real to be a dream, but, Kuroko should've been a _girl_ at this school, not..._him._

Kise gulped. He definitely wanted to confirm, he was so curious that he was about to die but, he just...couldn't.

If it had been his middle school self in 2nd year, he would've most definitely ran up to Kuroko to confirm all his suspicions. Yet, how could he when there was the possibility of the words that haunted his dreams reappearing?

_"Excuse me but, who are you?"_

In that hospital at that day, that time, Kise was rejected, and it was the most crushing rejection he had ever faced. He didn't care much whenever Aomine and Kuroko would reject him, ignore him, and the like but, when Kuroko denied his whole existence, he just- couldn't.

It was something entirely new to him; something unlike a challenge, impossible for him to enjoy.

"Oi Kuroko, you know him?" The red-head beside Kuroko asked, already forgetting the name of the individual Kuroko had spoken of prior.

"Well who wouldn't know him? He's the part of the Generation of Miracles: Kise Ryouta right?" Koganei instantly recalled.

Kuroko nodded. "Yes."

"Oh, the model basketball player that models!" Izuki quipped as Hyuuga promptly shut him up with a hissing, "go die."

Kagami blinked...before a smirk crept up his lips, ghosting its way up to his eyes, promptly lighting a dangerous fire within. "Hehh...So he's one of the rumored Generation of Miracles?" He nearly growled as Kise raised a brow.

He frowned, a slight crease forming on his money-making face. He didn't like types like the red-head, types that would get so fired up but were actually all bark and no bite.

He sighed. What should he even be doing in this situation?

"Ah but in that case, aren't you the one that was acting kind of weird? You called out to Kuroko didn't you?" Kagami suddenly interrogated, surprising the team by his sudden incisiveness, without realizing that it was actually a double-edged sword.

Kise blinked. "Eh? Ah...umm..." he wracked his brain for some kind of answer. He blurted it out because he hadn't seen Kuroko dressed up as a boy for so long!

...Wait. A _boy?_

__His stream of thoughts froze. Wait a minute.

He now knew he wasn't dreaming but if that's the case, why would _she_ be on a _boy's basketball team?_

__Kise pondered with for a few milliseconds before suddenly, it dawned on him.

A smile lit up his features.

"Ah...um, Kuroko-kun reminded me of someone I knew from my middle school," Kise revealed.

They all raised a brow.

"I heard that she's also going to this school actually...have you heard of her? Her name is Kuroko Torimi."

And immediately, every member of the team jolted.

Even if they were training, the sweat that slid down their faces was much to prolific to just be from exercise.

Kise knew he hit jackpot. It didn't take much to come to this conclusion after all, considering how it was done already _last time._

But, never did he expect it would happen again. That, to play basketball, Kuroko would dress up as a boy.

"A-Ah no-nope! Ku-Kuroko Torimi? W-wow I don't think I-I've ever heard of her before!" Hyuuga covered up shakily.

"Y-yeah! B-but what a c-coincidence, to have the same last name as that girl r-right Kuroko-kun?" Riko quipped, sending the youth a nudge.

Kuroko blinked. "Eh? Ah...yes. I am...Kuroko...T..Tetsuya." She said, surprised by how naturally said name rolled off her tongue.

Kise widened his eyes at that name before slowly, a melancholic smile escaped his lips. Ah, so even with a new life, was there a hint of something old and untold.

He suddenly felt the urge to tell her everything, in hopes that like her "true name", she would remember...and accept. Everything.

But...even he knew that was still just a dream.

He smiled. "Oh, then nice to meet you Kurokocchi!" He beamed, about to continue before suddenly, a ball aimed itself at his face.

Immediately he caught it, the rubber rubbing against his hand before the ball promptly dropped to the floor.

"Ahh, what is it now?" He frowned, irritated that his well-thought out reunion was interrupted.

"Oi, you're one of the Generation of Miracles right so play me. You're not hear to chit-chat are you?" Kagami Taiga challenged with a rather provoking smirk.

Kise creased a brow. Technically he was hear to chit-chat but...oh well.

He couldn't back down from such an open challenge.

He smirked and played, proving the strength of the Generation of Miracles.

Yet...perhaps he got a bit too carried away because before he noticed, he was outside the school...on his way back.

"Ah! I forgot about Kurokocchi!" He cried. She was just as invisible as always if he didn't notice!

The blond heaved out a defeated sigh.

But oh well, that was fine.

It was the first time in many months that he was able to speak with her.

For now, that was enough.

For now.

[=]

"Kurokoooooo..." an ominous voice called as hand gripped onto Kuroko's head.

"Ah, yes?" Kuroko calmly replied as Hyuuga Junpei glared daggers at the girl.

"Would you like to explain why you never told us you were from _Teiko?_ **AND THAT KISE KNEW YOU?!**" He demanded.

"Ah I apologize for my negligence but I didn't really find the middle school I came from relevant considering that I was never really enjoyed sports until now," Kuroko confessed. "As for Kise-kun...I'm not sure myself. We were never in the same class or clubs and I don't recall speaking to him in person before."

Izuki raised a brow. "Eh? But then why did he say he knew you?"

Kuroko shook her head. She didn't have a clue.

Riko sighed. "Well, either way we have to be more cautious of him. If he found out that you were cross-dressing to be here, that would be very bad."

"Sorry for the burden I'm causing." Kuroko apologized.

"Eh? No not at all! It was my decision to put you in after all. But...on that note," Riko narrowed her eyes. "We have a problem."

Immediately the team members turned to Kagami, repeating the same move he tried on Kise that failed.

They all nodded, a grim expression on their faces. "Yup. The practice match against Kaijou will definitely be tough."

Yet, they wouldn't want it any other way.

[=]

The practice match against Kaijou arrived much sooner than they had expected. All of them had been giving their best to improve, Kagami more so as his hypertension allowed him no sleep the night before, earning a witty remark from Kuroko who promptly compared him to a grade schooler on a field trip.

Yet, the minute they stepped into the gym was when that anticipation turned into anger.

"Um...What is this may I ask?" Riko politely inquired, unable to completely mask her twitching brows of rage.

"Exactly what it looks like." Takeuchi, Kaijou's corpulent coach replied. "We've only made simple arrangements for today's game."

"Arrangements?" Riko repeated...with a slight grind of her teeth.

"There won't be enough to learn from this game to make it worth watching for the rest of our members We're having the other players practice as usual so we don't waste time." Takeuchi explained, not even slightly abashed by his haughty remarks. "Well, even so, you're still playing our regulars so hopefully you won't triple our score," he added with a final sneer, finally revealing his true colors.

Riko immediately wished for instant death upon the man. "We're gonna destroy them...ALRIGHT?!" She shouted as the team unanimously gave her their support.

They clearly thought Seirin sucked!

On the other side of the bench, Kasamatsu Yukio sighed. "And they don't even have a proper coach. This will seriously be a waste of our time," he muttered, doing a stretch.

"Eh? Don't bet on that just yet sempai," Kise retorted beside him, still in his uniform.

Kasamatsu lifted a brow. "Ah? Why are you still in uniform? I thought the coach told you to not play."

Kise nodded. "Yeah but...I have a feeling Coach will be changing his mind soon," he smiled secretively.

"Why?"

"Oh just...a feeling."

It was true. After all, is she was still the person he knew, she would certainly go against all odds.

Minutes later, Kasamatsu wondered if Kise was much smarter than he gave him credit for.

As predicted, Kise Ryouta was called onto the court by a rather livid Coach with a broken basketball hoop in hand.

"Go...and repay...the favor alright?"

Kise smiled. "Of course!"

[=]

It seemed that a lack of episodic memory did not equate to a lack of skills. Although her skills had become a little rusty compared to Teiko, Kuroko Torimi was still an amazing passer, a phantom player indeed. Moreover, when combined with Kagami Taiga, the returnee from America, their uncanny teamwork made them a serious force to be reckoned with.

Kise frowned. This was bad. Even though he was only concerned about Kuroko at first, he had forgotten that her presence was his weakness. Cooperative plays were harder to counter enough as it was but with Kuroko, this was exponentially higher. He suddenly remembered having to face the Aomine-Kuroko combo during Teiko. That...was bad yet irritatingly enough, Kagami was giving him the exact same aura as Aomine once had.

It seemed that wherever he went, Kise couldn't be Kuroko's "light" after all.

He gritted his teeth, eyes narrowing in intensity as Kagami charged at him before executing a pass to Kuroko who then slipped through Kise's gaze as the ball was tossed back to Kagami.

Kise immediately reacted, reaching for the ball in hopes of contact before instead, he contacted wan skin...that promptly spewed the dark crimson of blood.

"KUROKO!"

Kuroko Torimi was knocked back, the force knocking back the clips that had secured her wig, one digging into her scalp as blood pooled out, a strand of long powder blue hair tumbling out.

Riko gaped in horror. No, NO. NOOO. SHE WAS GOING TO BE FOUND OUT!

Yet, before her fall was complete, Kise promptly caught her in his arms, not minding the blood one bit as he held the wig against her head, obscuring the visible strands of hair.

No. He couldn't have her found out because of him, because he hurt her once again. Finally...he would at least be able to play basketball with her again and besides, otherwise...this match wouldn't be fair.

"Uwahhh! I am so sorry Kuroko-kun!" He exclaimed before swiveling around to meet Takeuchi. "Coach! I think this is kinda serious so I'm going to take Kuroko-kun to the infirmary!" He cried as Kuroko merely blinked back in confusion, attempting to make sense of what he was doing.

"Kise-kun what are you-"

Kise leaned to her ear, voice a brisk yet melodious whisper. "Just follow my lead and hold onto me and your wig okay?" He prodded as he lifted her up like one would a child, darting towards the main building.

Most likely, they would reiterate the match again, just with a sub on each side.

Kise silently carried her over to the infirmary, Kuroko narrowing her eyes in contemplation.

[=]

"Kise-kun, you knew from the start didn't you?" Kuroko questioned as she sat on an infirmary bed while Kise rummaged through the various bottles for some disinfectant.

"Mhn. I'm around girls a lot so I can immediately tell," Kise breezily lied while Kuroko removed the wig, revealing a short bob characteristic of her.

She was a judicious as always, quickly perceiving what was unnecessary. "Then why did you help me instead? A girl isn't allowed to participate on a boy's basketball team." She questioned bluntly.

Kise smiled before finally locating the bottle and dabbing a swab with the material when Kuroko felt the soothing gentle touch of Kise's hands as he swabbed the medicine across her head.

"...Because then you'd be disqualified and with only Kagami, I doubt this will be an interesting match," he replied, something that wasn't entirely untrue but, it wasn't as if he could speak the whole truth...that otherwise, he would lose his last connection to her.

Kuroko was naturally highly skeptic of this yet, decided not to press further. That could be done...after the match because regardless, her teammates were counting on her. Like Kagami once stated before, no one came to chit-chat...but to win.

"Then I will not let you down Kise-kun," she concluded, taking the gauze and expertly wrapping it around her head. "But..." her irises met Kise's saffron gold ones.

"I hope you won't come to regret your decision."

Kise paused...before he smirked. "Bring it on."

[=]

Sloshed with a jet of ice cold water, Kise stood at one of the outdoor sinks, running his head under without moving. He stood like that for what felt like an eternity before closing the tap, gasping for air.

It was an attempt to clear his head, of all the things that had jumbled around in his mind.

Kurokocchi. He had finally managed to play with her again but...it seemed that he was much too greedy to be satisfied with just that. He wasn't satisfied at all because...for the first time in a long while, he lost.

He slammed his head back under the tap, water pouring down. Such a process was repeated almost religiously until finally Kise was out of breath.

He sighed. "Ah, this sucks." He murmured, upturning his head to the sky before he headed for the lockers. However, he didn't get very far as suddenly, he caught a whiff of a familiar silhouette with peculiar green hair.

He froze. Completely.

No. _Midorimacchi was here?!_

And suddenly it had occurred to him, that he had told no one about the fact that he met Kuroko again. He gulped. Ah, he had broken their oath.

_He was going to be killed._

Slowly he slid away, making sure to avoid Midorima Shintarou at all costs.

He wasn't Aomine but this time, Kise's instincts were dead on. It was indeed Midorima Shintarou, clutching his cellphone in anger at the various times he attempted to phone the blond to demand an answer, only receiving a "this call could not be connected" in reply.

WHAT DID HE JUST SEE?!

Thankfully, Kise had turned off his phone...and he intended to keep it that way.

"Aughhh and afterwards I have a modelling session in Tokyo too..." he groaned, slinking back to the lockers.

[=]

"Kuroko! See you Monday!" The Seirin aggregates waved in goodbye as Kuroko returned the sentiment, now changed into her female uniform after their little celebratory dinner. She patted her head, bandage still attached but now knowing that nothing was wrong. If something was wrong, no doubt would her parents force her to live with them in America.

For some reason, they had become much more protective of her compared to before. She didn't tend to dwell on that but to her current lifestyle, injury was quite a threat.

Strolling back towards home, she headed down a more secluded street, lights dimmed and eerie while she paid no particular heed. With her low presence, it wasn't likely for her to be attacked in the first place.

However, as she neared a deserted crosswalk, an ominous roar bounded down the street. She turned, eyes wide as she found herself within the path of a motorcycle that had abruptly turned from the previous avenue.

"Get down!" A voice cried as she was promptly grabbed and pulled back, landing on the warmth of someone's chest as said person contacted the cement, the motorcycle racing over, without giving a care about anything at all.

Kuroko immediately widened her eyes. "Kise-kun!" She called, voice urgent and slightly above her normal deadpanned tone.

Indeed her savior happened to be Kise, eyes closed shut in pain as the side of his face bled.

"Why are you here?"

Kise got up, wincing at what his manager would say as he stared at the blood. "Ah...I had a photoshoot here in the area and kinda ended up here when I had to run from my fans," he explained.

Kuroko stared at the blood, immediately rummaging through her bag to find a handkerchief to wipe the blood as Kise leaned up. "it's okay Kurokocchi, I'm fine! Besides, just think of this as payback for today," Kise cried, stopping her movements.

Kuroko frowned, eyes staring deep into Kise's as without hesitation, she sternly stated. "That's not true at all Kise-kun. You're also a model, your face isn't allowed to be hurt for the sake of your job right?" She stated, words causing him to hesitate as she used that to her advantage and promptly regained control of her hands, wiping down the rest of the blood.

Kise was amazed. She had never done something like this for him before in fact, it was almost once upon a blue moon for her to care about him so deeply. She was always with Aomine...always with _him._

But right now, the only thing that reflected in her eyes, for him.

Perhaps this day wasn't as terrible as he thought.

"Hmm, in order to not leave a scar, I think we should get this disinfected," he heard her mutter, contemplating her options before she quite bluntly asked Kise, "Kise-kun, do you mind if you went to my house?"

Kise blinked. "...Eh?"

What?

Kuroko blinked back. "Ah, it's not far away in fact, it's right down there." She pointed, as if he required mental reassurance.

Which...he did...but for a completely different reason.

WHAT?!

DIDN'T THIS ESCALATE WAY TOO QUICKLY?!

"Eh but what about your parents? Won't they question why you're bringing a boy back into the house with you this late at night?!" He exclaimed in disbelief.

Kuroko didn't miss a beat. "Ah. No worries. I live alone."

...THAT WAS EVEN WORSE!

No, no he could not be doing this. Although he did go many times to his sisters' rooms without a second thought (well, along with some of his girlfriends') but...NO NO NO HE COULDN'T DO IT! NOT KUROKOCCHI'S ROOM.

HE WASN'T MENTALLY PREPARED YET!

Regardless, he found himself following the girl, brain a complete dysfunctional mess as she opened the gates and the two began up the stairs to the second floor.

He shook his head profusely, unable to form coherent thoughts before finally, the reached the second floor.

It was the moment of truth.

Yet, instead of continuing down to her room, he froze in his tracks, eyes widening at what he saw.

"Ah, good evening, Aomine-kun," Kuroko Torimi greeted with a slight bow as...the ace of the Generation of Miracles stood in front of his own door, about to insert his key.

Aomine blinked. "Ah."

Kise's expression morphed into utter disbelief. "AO. MI. NE. CHII?!"

And before he could utter another syllable, Aomine Daiki lunged for the blond, pulling him inside his room, door slamming shut.

Kuroko stared in silence.

..._They knew each other?_

Out of breath, Aomine panted as he cornered Kise to the wall, hands on both sides to block any hopes of escape.

"WHY THE HELL ARE YOU HERE , GOING TO TETSU'S ROOM ALONE AT NIGHT?!" Aomine hectored.

"IT JUST HAPPENED! BUT WAY MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHY THE HELL ARE YOU HERE, LIVING NEXT DOOR TO KUROKOCCHI?!" Kise nearly screamed in disbelief as the two males began to shoot daggers at each other in silence, none able to exactly answer the others' question.

Yet, it was quite obvious to both of what had occurred, they both broke the oath.

They were both secretly meeting with Kuroko...as scandalous as it sounded.

Outside, a gentle knock came at Aomine's door.

"Um...are you two alright?"

And it immediately clicked with them...that they as the Generation of Miracles, the arrogant that didn't require teamwork, were backed into a terrible situation.

...Ironically, like so, Kuroko Torimi invoked the first step for them to rely on one another once more.

* * *

Well I wrote this in one go even though I have huge piles of hwk so I hope you enjoyed this and please temporarily bear with me on the typos and etc.

Thank you for your consideration and if you have any feedback, particularly on Kise's characterization (is it me or have i not written for so long that im turning him OOC), please leave a review! uvu


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